Therapist in 'total fear' of ex-client who he had 'intimate' relationship with, court hears

BreakingNews.ie

26-04-2025

A professional counsellor has told a court that he is 'in total fear' of an ex-client he entered an intimate and 'toxic" relationship with.
At a family law court sitting, Judge Alec Gabbett granted the therapist a domestic violence Protection Order against the woman after the man outlined his grounds for seeking the order.
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The therapist told Judge Gabbett that he is a counsellor 'and I engaged in a toxic relationship with a client at the end of the client relationship'.
He said: 'It has been five months of a relationship, sexual contact but no sex.'
Judge Gabbett said that in order for him to grant a protection order in the case, the man must confirm that he was in an intimate relationship with the woman.
The man replied: 'It was an intimate relationship,' and asked that he read his grounds for seeking the order as 'it is easier for me'.
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The man said that his relationship with the woman was a recent one.
The man said that he reported his relationship to his professional body.
Asked why he was bringing the application by Judge Gabbett, the man said he has been subjected by the woman to daily threats of court action and Gardai "because of how the relationship started and this kept me in it'.
He said: 'It increasingly got worse.'
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He said that on a date last month, the woman arrived at a location 'looking for my address'.
He said that the woman 'is also sending messages to my wife and when my wife was ignoring them she sent messages through dummy accounts'.
He added: 'The last couple of days, my children have been getting messages through these dummy accounts.'
He told Judge Gabbett: 'To be honest with you I am in total fear at this stage.'
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Judge Gabbett said 'in other words, the relationship has come to an end and she doesn't want it to end?'
He replied 'basically yes'.
Judge Gabbett said to him: 'You are in fear of this person?'
In reply the counsellor said: 'One hundred per cent.'
Judge Gabbett said that he would grant the Protection Order and directed that the order be served on the woman.
Once it is served on the woman it comes into effect. If the woman breaches the order by communicating with the man, his wife or their children, she can be arrested without warrant by a Garda and brought before a court concerning the breach.
The man made his Protection Order application on an ex-parte basis which means that only one side was present in court.
Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to July when the woman will be able to contest the Protection Order or consent to a time limited Protection Order which is called a Safety Order.
Judge Gabbett told the man that he should get a solicitor to represent him when the case comes back before the court in July.